Mining machine



W. S. GRAY MINING MACHINE June 24, 1930.

W. S. GRAY MINING MACHINE June 24, 1930.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1927 June 24, 1930. w. s. GRAY 1,765,523

' MINING MACHINE Filed March s, 1927 a Sheets-Sheet s wali ni' ai /7g Patented June 24, 1930 ATENT WALTER S. GRAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GGODMAN MANUFACTURIIQ'G COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GORIEORATION OF ILLINOIS MINING MACHINE i Application filed March 3,

This invention relates to improvements in mining machines and more particularly to coal cutting mining machines mounted on track-guided trucks, having a cutting element adapted to out various kerfs in the coal face ranging from the horizontal to the vertical, and is an improvement over a' copending application of Thomas E. Pray, Serial No. 158,- 294, filed December 31, 1926.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved machine of the class described, having a cutting mechanism including a motor and a cutting element, said cutting mechanism being pivotally movable about either a vertical or longitudinal axis or both of said axes, simultaneously- The invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a machine con structed in accordance with my invention, with parts broken away and shown in longitudinal cross-section;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the complete, 25 machine;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2 except that it is drawn to a smaller scale, illustrating the cutter arm in certain permissible positions thereof; and

Figure 4: is a front end view of the machine shown in Figure 1, illustrating diagrammatically certain permissible positions of the cutter mechanism.

Referring now to details of the drawings, the machine includes a base frame 1 mounted on supporting axles 2, 2, having wheels 3, 8, mounted thereon. A turntable 5 provided with a central bearing 6 is mounted for rotatable movement on said base frame and is provided with a plurality of upright stand ards 4t, 4, thereon. As herein shown, these standards are mounted in pairs spaced on opposite sides of the turntable between which is supported a subframe 7 carrying the cutting element of the machine. As shown herein the subframe is vertically adjustable with respect to the uprights 4, 4. This adjustment is provided by means of a plurality of pinions 8, 8, carried on shafts 64 and 65 extending through upright arms 9, 9, of subframe 1927. Serial No. 172,253.

7 and engaging racks 10, 10, on the uprightv supports 1, 4. Actuating mechanism for said pinions will be hereinafter described.

The cutting element comprises a cutter arm 15 projecting forwardly of the machine and provided with a cutter chain l5 which may be of the usual construction. This cutter arm is rigidly mounted on a housing member 16, said housing being pivotally movable on a vertical axis adjacent its central point in trunnion bearings formed by a U bracket 19 extending around and pivotally connected at both top and bottom of said housing by suitable pins '17, 17. Said U bracket is integrally formed at one side and near the longitudinal center of a swinging frame or cradle 18. It will be seen that this arrangement allows the housing carrying the complete cutting mechanism and cutting element to be swung into various permissible positions as illustrated in Figure 8. I 1

The swinging frame or cradle is provided with a pairof supporting arms 18 18*, at

the front and rear end thereof. Said arms are provided with trunnion stud projections 20 and 21 extending outwardly and having bearing support in journals 20 and 21re-,

spectively in the upper end of arms 7 7*, formed at the ends of subframe 7. This pivotal mounting of the swinging frameand complete cutting mechanism is such as affords trunnion support at front and rear ends of the machine, wherein the complete cutting mechanism may be bodily rotated about a longitudinal axis of the machine. Power connections for rotating the mechanism about said axis will hereinafter be described.

Referring now to details of the cutting mechanism carried on the swinging frame or cradle, a motor 25 is mounted in the forward end of said frame, carrying a bevel driving pinion 26. Said pinion is meshed with a bevel gear 27 keyed adjacent the lower end of a sleeve 28 which extends through a main bearing 29 formed integralwith the housing 16. The upper end of said sleeve is provided with a ring 28 having thrust bearing support in a recess 16* formed in the top of said housing. The upper end of said sleeve has a cutter chain drive sprocket 31 keyedthereon in alignment with the cutter arm 15 for driving the cutter chain 15 in the usual manner. A shaft 30 extends through said sleeve and is provided with a head 30 abutting the upper side of said sprocket, and a retaining ring 3O at the lower end of said shaft abutting against the bevel gear 27 for maintaining alignment of said parts. A small bevel gear 32 is mounted on the sleeve 28 adjacent the inner side of bevel gear 27 and rotating therewith, and is meshed with a bevel gear 33 which is loosely mounted on a longitudinally extending drive shaft 34. This shaft is journaled at one end in a bearing 35 formed integral with the main bearing 29, the other end of said shaft extends through and has support in the rear end of the housing 16, and has mounted on the outer end thereof a bevel pinion 40. Said shaft is provided with a sliding clutch member 36 feathered thereon and adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement with the gear 33 in a usual manner.

The driving connections from the cutting mechanism for rotating the same with the cutting element orbitally about the vertical trunnion axis are as follows:

The bevel pinion 40 is meshed with a pair of oppositely disposed bevel gears 41, 41, which are loosely mounted on a transverse shaft 42 extending to the rear of said housing and having support in bearing brackets 43, 43, projecting from the rear of said housing at each side thereof. Sliding clutch members 42, 42*, are feathered on said shaft outward of the gears 41, 41, and are adapted to be selectively engaged by said gears for rotating 43 integral with the housing 16. A spur pin- 44 is keyed on said transverse shaft, and is meshed with a gear 45 mounted on a trans verse worm shaft 46 which is supported in the lower part of bearing brackets 43, 43. A worm 47 is mounted on the shaft 46 and operatively drives a worm gear 48 mounted on the upper end of a vertically disposed stub shaft 49 which is j oaurnaled in a bearing bracket 43 integral with the housing 16. A spur pinion 50 is keyed adjacent the lower end of said stub shaft and is meshed with a segmental gear 51 concentric with the vertical axis upon which the cutting mechanism rotates. It will be seen from the above description that the complete cutting mechanism including the cutter arm may be driven in an are about the axis of support of the cutting mechanism in the swinging frame. Further, the direction of travel may be quickly and selectively reversed through the clutch and gearing mechanism on the shaft 42.

The subframe 7 carrying the complete cutting mechanism with the cutter arm in the swinging frame 18 is vertically adjustable on the racks 10, 10, of the upright supports 4, 4 in the following manner:

A hand wheel 60 is mounted on the outer end of a transversely extending stub shaft 60 which is journaled in a bracket 61 of the subframe 7 A worm 62 is keyed on said stub shaft and is meshed with a worm gear 63 mounted on the rear end of the longitudinal shaft 64 which extends alongside of the subframe 7 and is supported in upright arms 9, 9, of said subframe. A second longitudinally disposed shaft 65 is supported similarly on the opposite side of said subframe. Said shafts are cooperatively driven through two pair of mitre gears 66, 66, disposed at both the forward corners of said subframe. A transverse shaft 67 is journaled in suitable brackets. 68, 68, extending forwardly from the subframe 7. Said shaft provides medium for transmitting the drive to the shaft 65, from shaft 64. As hereinbefore described, the pinions 8, 8, are keyed on the shafts 64 and 65, thereby afiording a vertically adjustable movement of the complete mechanism in the racks 10, 10, on the upright supports 4, 4. By manipulation of the hand wheel 60, the entire cutting mechanism and subframe may be raised or lowered to the desired position.

The complete cutting mechanism may be rotated about the horizontal longitudinal axis in the trunnion bearings formed at the front and rear ends of the subframe 7, so that the cutter arm may be swung about said axis into various planes ranging from horizontal to vertical, so as to permit horizontal kerfs to be cut above or below said axis or for making shearing cuts at either side thereof. In Figure 4 the cutting element is shown in full lines in horizontal position above the trunnion bearings so as to cut a kerf in a horizontal plane, while in dotted lines the cutting element is shown in a vertical position to make a shearing cut with the cutting element disposed at the right side of the axis of said trunnion bearings. Any suitable means that will afford this adjustment may be provided, as for instance, herein a worm gear segment 75 keyed on the outer end of the rear trunnion stud 21 so as to be rotatable with the swinging frame or cradle in said subframe. Said worm gear segment has meshed therewith a worm 76 mounted on a transverse operating shaft 77 supported from the rear end of said subframe. The outer end of said shaft is provided with operating wheel 78. It will be seen that this manually operating mechanism is adapted to revolve the complete cutting mechanism and cutting element about the longitudinal axis described.

The cutter arm may also be fed to the coal by pivoted movement of the turntable upon which the entire cutting mechanism including the motor is supported. As shown herein, the driving means comprises a motor 80 at the rear end of the main frame having driving connection with the turntable through a motor pinion 81, gear 82, shaft 83, worm 84, worm gear 85, shaft 86, gears 87 and 88, shaft ioo 89 and gear 90, the latter named gear being meshed with a toothed periphery 91 of the turntable. The turntable may thus be swung in either direction and in any angle relative to the base frame so as to cut a kerf in any permissible position of the cutter arm either in a vertical or horizontal plane. The machine may also be used for making a slabbing out along a face parallel with the mine tracks by swinging the turntable so that the cutter arm projects laterally from the main frame and is locked in this position while the machine is propelled along the tracks parallel to the working face, with the cutter arm maintained in a horizontal position.

Suitable means for propelling the truck maybe provided as herein shown including a chain 95 driven by a sprocket 96 on one end of shaft 83 and operatively connected thereto through a sliding clutch member 97. Said chain 95 being operatively connected to the outer end of the rear axle through a chain sprocket 98, in the usual manner.

Although I have illustrated and described one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific form shown, excepting as it may be speciiically limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mining machine, the combination of a base frame having upright supports thereon, a subframe adjustable vertically be tween said supports, an intermediate frame pivoted on a horizontal axis on said subframe, a swinging frame pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said intermediate frame, a cutter arm mounted on said swinging frame, a motor carried by said swinging frame and movable therewith having operative connection with said intermediate frame for moving said swinging frame on its ver tical axis, and means carried by said subframe for moving the same with said intermediate and swinging frames vertically between said upright supports.

2. In a mining machine, the combination of a base frame having upright support-s thereon, a subframe adjustable vertically between said supports, an intermediate frame pivoted on a horizontal axis on said subframe, a swinging frame pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on said intermediate frame, a cutter arm mounted on said swinging frame, a motor carried by said swinging frame and movable therewith having operative connection with said intermediate frame for moving said swinging frame on its vertical axis, and means carried by said subframe for moving the same with said intermediate and swinging frames vertically between said upright supports, said vertical pivotal connection between said intermediate and said swinging frame being rearwardly of the forward upright supports.

3. In a mining machine, the combination of a main frame having a plurality of upright supporting members thereon, a subframe vertically adjustable between said supporting members, a cradle pivotally supported on a longitudinal axis at both ends in said subframe, and a cutting mechanism pivotally mounted about a vertical axis on said cradle intermediate the longitudinally spaced supporting members.

4. In a mining machine, the combination of a main frame having a plurality of upright supporting members thereon, a subframe vertically adjustable between said supporting members, a cradle pivotally sup ported on a longitudinal axis at both ends in said subframe, and a cutting mechanism pivotally mounted about a vertical axis adjacent the longitudinal center thereof on said cradle intermediate the longitudinally spaced supporting members.

5. In combination with a mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a plurality of upright supports on said turntable, a subframe adjustable vertically between said sup ports, an intermediate frame pivotally mounted to swing on a longitudinal axis on said subframe, a third frame including a cutting element pivotally mounted on said intermediate frame for movement about an axis perpendicular to the swinging axis of said intermediate frame, a motor carried on said third frame, means at the rearward end of said motor for selectively controlling the pivotal movement of said third frame independent of the means for rotating said intermediate frame about its axis.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1927.

WALTER S. GRAY. 

